Author’s Note: I wrote this piece to honor my Aunt Linda, who has been placed in home hospice care. She never had children but spoiled lots of the family kids. Being loved by this special, beautiful person has blessed my life immeasurably. 

My Aunt Linda never had children, but she had lots of kids, pouring herself into loving so many of us.  She took us to special places, gave us countless gifts, cooked us favorite treats, and made us feel most special by lighting up around us. Her joy in us made us feel loved, special, and full of warm fuzzies inside. I’m sure we all felt like her favorite. 

My brother Tony and I might have been the most fortunate benefactors of Aunt Linda’s great love though.  Weekends often found us at her house, waking up to her scrumptious scrambled eggs with cheese.  She was a wonderful cook.  For my birthdays, I repeatedly asked for her lasagna.  Christmas and beach trips brought her delicious fudge, haystacks, and lady fingers.  One of the best things to happen to me in prison was getting food from Aunt Linda and my Mom. They found they could deliver food for a Church Christmas party.  They cooked nonstop for two days, then had it driven to the mountains.  Every bite tasted of freedom, of family, of love.  They supplied a couple of dozen nearly starving prisoners, just so they could provide special treats to Tony and me. That’s a lot of love. 

Aunt Linda loved to travel, especially to visit family.  Our travels took us to Florida, Kentucky, D.C. and Maryland, many times.  She was either the most patient person ever or a little crazy because she endured those trips in the backseat with two rambunctious boys.  We never stopped moving, and she had to be counselor and referee.  It was almost as bad as a prison transfer bus.  Maybe she should have shackled us, but she loved us too much. 

And she loved spoiling us.  She could have bought a BMW with the quarters she gave us at the arcade, but she found loving others the most valuable possession.  She gave us money for ice cream, movies, putt-putt, go-karts and the waterslides.  When we went to Disney World for the first time, she bought us numerous souvenirs and extras.  My favorite was a Disney signature book.  She helped us get signatures from all of the stars – Mickey and Minnie Mouse, Cinderella and Prince Charming, Donald Duck and Goofy.  So much fun. 

Life is measured by the quality of our relationships.  Aunt Linda’s life was rich and full because she gave all of her self to building quality relationships.  She gave herself to blessing others and helping others.  She wanted only two things, and she wanted them every day – Bojangles and a Cappuccino Blast.  Ask her what she wants to eat. Bojangles and a Cappuccino Blast. Baskin Robbins should rename it the Aunt Linda Blast.

Aunt Linda, thank you for loving me so much.  Thank you for choosing me as one of your kids.  Your love and the many happy memories made with you have been a lighthouse for me on this voyage.  You shine light by which I find my way, and by helping me find my way, you share in everything I accomplish.  Every person I help is touched by you and by your love. 

Being my Aunt Linda’s kid has been one of the greatest treasures of my life. I love, love, love you!

ABOUT THE WRITER.  Timothy Johnson is serving a life without parole sentence.  He has a Bachelor of Arts degree in Pastoral Ministry with a minor in Counseling from the College at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary; he serves as the assistant editor for The Nash News, the first and longest running prison publication in NC; he was editor of Ambassadors in Exile, a journal/newsletter that represents the NCFMP; he is a co-author of Beneath Our Numbers; and he has been published in the North Carolina Law Review (Hope for the Hopeless:  The Prison Resources Repurposing Act https://scholarship.law.unc.edu/nclr/vol100/iss3/2/).
Recently, Timothy and Phillip Vance Smith, II, co-authored a piece for NC Newsline, which can be found here, and Timothy can also be heard on the Prison POD podcast on YouTube.

Mr. Johnson can be contacted at:
Timothy Johnson #0778428
Nash Correctional Institution
P.O. Box 247
Phoenix, MD 21131

Timothy Johnson can also be contacted via GettingOut.com